Improvement in the manufacture of suction-boxes for paper-making



@uiten tetes. @stent ffice' FRANCIS CURTIS,` OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters .Patent No. 70,534, dated November 5, 1867.

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TO ALL WIIOM vI'l MAY CONCERN:

Be it kiiewn that I, FRANCIS CURTIS, of Newton, in thc county ofMiddlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have made an'invention of a newand improved Manufacture of Suction-Boxesfor Paper Machinery; and dohereby declare thetfollowing to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, due reference being had to the drawings accompanying andmaking part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is alongitudinal section, and I' Figure 2 a transverse section of thesuctionbox constructcd'in accordance with my invention.

My present invention relates tothe suction-box of a paper machinetheconstruction and operation of which is well known and understood bythose at allconvcrsant with the manufacture of paper by the Fourdrinicrmachine, it being an oblong rectangular box, provided with a foraminousor perforated top, upon which the'endless Wire-cloth apron, carrying thepulp, travels, a vacuum being created within the box for the purpose ofcausing a. suction or draught upon and through the pulp, andextractingthe water therefrom; the object of the invention being to produce avacuum-box which shall withstand the action of water or chemicals, bedurable and light, and capable of'bcing manufactured at reasonable cost.As the construction of these vacuum-boxes forms no part of myinvention,wl1ich consists in the material of which they are composed, anelaborate description of them is not considered necessary. l

- The material now generally employed in their manufacture, and to whichthere have been few exceptions, is Wood, with a metallic tophon accountof its cheapness partly, but principally on account of its lightness, asthe box must frequently be removed from thc endless apron and from themachine. 4Boing constantly covered and partially Jfilled with water, thewood swells and expands in dilerent directions, frequently causing themto leak, and always rotting them rapidly. In addition to this thefriction or abrasion between the metallic top of the box and thewire-cloth apron tends to wear out both rapidly.

In my invention, which, as before stated, consists in constructing thebox and its cover of hard rubber, all these objections are obviatcd.Tile box so made is water-tight, and unchangeableat all times and underall circumstances, is comparatively indestructible, and is suliicientlylight; It has also been found in practice that the Wear between its topplate and the endless wire cloth is very much less than in the old modeof construction, thus greatly economizing the cost of the wire cloth,which is one of the heaviest items of expense in the manufactureof'paper. t

In the drawings above referred to, the box is shown at A as composed ofhard-rubber plates, properly joined and screwed together; the shelvesfor supporting the slidingl vacuum-heads a a being shown at 6 6, and theforaminous top of the box at c, the general construction and operationof the box'beir-ig similar to those in common use. y

I claim the improved manufacture of suction-box as composed Wholly or inpart of hard rubber, substantially in manner and for the purpose asbefore described.`

FRANCIS C RTIS.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK CURTIS, Onis. H. GRIFFIN.

